The Reaper's Lullaby
by iTorchic
Summary: "It was a song that she had never heard before, but as the bone-chilling melody wavered in the air, she couldn't help but be enchanted by it." AU. An FMA version of my entry for a creative writing contest I entered. I'd appreciate critiques!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! =D This is a story that I wrote for a creative writers festival that's taking place in November at the Whitewater college in Wisconsin! =D Well, I got such great feedback from the creative writing club that I'm in about this story, that I decided to change the names, and place of this story so it could be FMA just so you all could read it. XD I want feedback people! I want to know how well you like my story! Also, if you want to know what song this song is based on, the name of it is 'Celtic Requiem'. **

**This is totally AU. ;)**

_The Reaper's Lullaby_

It was a song that she had never heard before, but as the bone-chilling melody wavered in the air, she couldn't help but be enchanted by it. She was clothed in all black attire, and she was a bit confused. Her mother was in tears along with the rest of her family who had shown up at her house. When she asked what was happening, her mother just began sobbing and hugged her tightly, chanting her name as if it were a lifeline. She watched over her mother's shoulder as a wooden box was descended into a hole and was buried under mounds of worm filled clots of dirt. Although, she looked curiously at what exactly they were doing with the box, she looked around until she finally saw the source of the melody and she smiled. There was a woman dressed up in a black gown with a veil that extended to the small of her back, coating her long, flame-like hair. Next to her was a violinist, cellist, and another woman dressed in similar clothing. The two women sang in harmony, not speaking a word, but just singing straight through to the heart.

"Mama? Who were those ladies singing outside today?"

"Those were mourners, baby. They were singing a requiem for your father since he died out at war."

"Do the ladies sing every time someone dies mama?"

"Yes they do sweetheart, and you don't usually hear them that often. They only sing at funerals for that song. Now come on, your brother is getting hungry! Can't keep him waiting!"

"Okay mama!"

"_Did you hear? Old Grumman got murdered last night…"_

"_He did? That poor old man, he was a nice fella that he was."_

"_Yeah, he was strangled and found dead in his house, sprawled out across the floor; it makes me wonder about who done it!_

The entire town knew of old man Grumman and they all gathered again at the cemetery where they were not a week before for the soldier's burial. The girl stood with her mother as the casket went by and she smiled as the women began to sing death's hymn, when the box was lowered into the earth and sealed with a dirt blanket. She tugged at her mother's sleeve as she pointed to the women and let out a bright grin but her mother gave a sad smile and as the ceremony closed, the girl was guided away by her mother's hand.

"Mama, the ladies were back again!"

"I know sweetheart, they always sing at the funerals, and only for the people here in town. I'd say that they're the best singers here in Amestris."

"They're very pretty mommy. They have a pretty song…"

The police were having a riot, due to another person being found stone cold on the floor, however it was a small girl from the school in town found with dozens of deep and bloody scratches across her face, torso, and neck. The townspeople were beginning to get worried and people began to be wary. It was the second murder in the past 3 weeks and no one wanted to become the next victim. People scurried through the rainy weather on the muddy dirt streets quickly and quietly as they glanced nervously about, not wanting to become the next victim.

"Are we going back to the cemetery mama?"

"Yes sweetheart. You want to pay your respects to Rebecca, don't you? That poor girl, died while she was still so young…..now come along! The ceremony going to start soon and you don't want to miss saying your goodbyes to your friend do you?"

"And the pretty song mama! I'll say goodbye to Becca and hear that pretty song again!"

It was late at night when her mother heard a loud thud coming from across the house, and didn't think anything of it until an unnatural silence befell the house.

"Roy? Riza? Is everything alright?"

A torturous weight of dread filling her being as she didn't get an answer and set down her dish towel and quickly walked to her son's room. However, she paled and stood in terror as she stared at her boy covered in blood, with cuts adorning his body and his throat had been slashed. She felt to her knees and pulled him closer to her and clutched him tightly as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"_Roy! Oh my sweet baby boy!"_

As she gasped for air, a shadow loomed over her and the corpse and she turned around wide eyed at her daughter standing in the doorway, wearing a smile and coated in blood on her hands, clothes, and face.

"Riza! Are you alright, are you-"

"Mama, Roy decided to help me! He helped me mama!"

The mother's blood went cold as she saw the girl's hands gripping a large knife from the kitchen in her left hand.

"_Mama, are you going to help me too? I wanna hear the pretty song again!"_

A shriek filled the summer night air, and the breeze carried an eerie melody over the countryside. It did not have any words, but it was haunting all the same.


	2. NOTICE

Hey everyone! So, I had some great news that actually pertains to this story…

Well, the original version of this story (the non-fma version) was edited a bit and I ended up entering it into a screenwriting competition! The good news is…I made it into the top fifty! That means that I'm in the second round where I'm actually typing up the story in screenplay form. So, if I get into the third round it'll be the top 15 where I revise even more and work with a professional director and producer and I revise even more from there. Now, if I end up winning then this story will be produced into a legit and professionally made short film, about 10 minutes or so.

Well, the meaning behind this is that I wanted to know if you guys wanted to stay updated in how I'm doing in the competition. So, let me know in a review please!

BTW: The competition I'm entered in is the 'Milwaukee Film Collaborative Cinema Screenwriting Competition'.

~iTorchic


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